If you only had five shirts: A capsule collection

Readers have asked for a while for this post: something recommending a core, versatile shirt collection.

The idea of suggesting such ‘capsule’ collections is that they help a newcomer build a wardrobe, prioritising the things that will give them the greatest versatility with other clothing and in different situations.

With shirts, such a collection can seem pretty straightforward. But there are a surprising number of variables, and formality drives decisions more than with other accessories.

To deal with this, I’ve listed below two separate shirt collections: one formal (for a fairly professional office) and one informal (for an informal office, or casual wear).

The reader can then pick their own capsule collection by selecting five shirts from the two lists that best suit their life and lifestyle.

Formal capsule collection

1. Plain-blue poplin

Poplin is the most versatile of weaves for a business shirt (detail here). Light blue is the most versatile colour (it goes with more colours and flatters more skin tones). And a plain shirt goes with the most ties, knitwear and tailoring (no clashing of patterns). This is the place to start for a business shirt, therefore. You may even want two in your collection of five.

2. A thin or pale stripe

Stripes are the easiest way to add interest to a shirt, and are usually a nicer partner for a solid tie. But keep the stripes thin or pale so that they don’t risk clashing with a tie or suit with similar density of pattern. A bengal stripe is one of the most popular and appealing choices – just keep the blue quite pale.

3. Plain white

White is always the smartest colour, and every man should have one in their wardrobe.

Smart and sombre with a dark tie with a small geometric pattern; summery with paler and brighter colours.

4. Pink

For most business environments, the first colour after blue and white is pink. Gone are the days when this was considered effeminate – today there’s greater risk of it making you look like a banker or lawyer, if you are not one. Either way, it’s great with dark ties and a beautiful partner to grey suits. Keep it a pale, though.

5. Vary the collar or cuffs

For ease and simplicity, I’d suggest having all these four shirts in the same combination of collar and cuff – say a moderate spread collar and a single cuff. Your fifth could repeat one of those, but in a different design: a plain-blue button-down perhaps, or a white shirt with a double cuff.

Informal capsule collection

1. Chambray, plain blue or white

Chambray is hard to pin down, as by definition it’s just a fabric with a coloured warp and a white weft. But it has come to mean one with slubs in the weft creating an irregular, and therefore more casual, texture. In this guise, it is the perfect bridge between formal and casual. A cotton/linen mix can often achieve the same effect.

2. Button-down oxford

A traditional oxford shirt is one step further down the formality scale. Still lovely with a blazer and flannels, but also at home with jeans. Get a thicker, traditional oxford with a rougher yarn that creates more texture, and helps it age well. Probably plain blue or a blue/white stripe, and with a button-down collar.

3. Denim

Another step down the scale is denim. A denim shirt can be worn with tailoring, but is an unusual choice. It’s partner in terms of formality is a pair of chinos or similar casual trousers: canvas, corduroy, moleskin. It can go with all of them though, and is therefore quite versatile. Just probably not with jeans.

4. Brushed cotton

A brushed-cotton or wool shirt is clearly casual, but can happily be worn under a woollen jacket. A nice variation in texture, which often makes it nicer in simple colours and patterns. A grey, a cream, a light-blue herringbone. Linen is, to a certain extent, the summer equivalent.

5. A gingham or tattersall check

In terms of variation by pattern, checks largely belong in the casual collection, with stripes in the formal one. The biggest problem with checks, though, is they come with baggage. A tattersall check might be too British rural, Madras too American preppy. There will often be one that escapes these in your eyes – and if there isn’t, add another oxford or chambray in a different colour.

Selecting five out of those 10 should give you a good capsule collection. Which would best suit your office?

1, 2, 3, 4 all worn Monday to Thursday. All single cuff and all except 4 with the same moderate spread collar. 1 & 2 I wear on occasional nights out, and always take on holiday (hot or cold). 5 I’ve worn once for the Christmas party.

They’re all holding up well, and I should make it well into next year without making another order. I’m sure I will spend less on shirts over 3 years than my TM Lewin colleagues (who are unable to do their top button up).

Absolutely agree with Robin above – a similar piece about trousers would be most welcome! And I know you’ve done a piece before about cycling to work and would love to hear about a capsule wardrobe of trousers that would support that

Hello Simon, great article as always. What’s the difference between chambray and denim, in shirting? I’ve never been quite sure; the amount of white in the weft perhaps? And to which mills and bunches would you recommend for some great denim cloth? My shirtmaker can’t seem to lay his hands on any. (Apart from your PS denim of which I have two lengths – and love; the fading and feathering is just starting to happen on the first of the shirts I’ve had made up – but I’m keen for something a little darker too). Cheers,

Thanks Nick. As mentioned, chambray is a tricky one as it has come to mean something different to its original definition. Have a look at our weaves post in the shirt fabrics guide for more, but chambray today is basically more about uneven texture or colour, while denim is about the indigo colour of the fabric. In terms of other denims, I don’t know many I’m afraid and they change all the time. But I would look to the Victoria range from Albini, and the seasonal Canclini options

Simon, what about the PS everyday denim? I found a fabric that looks similar but must be chambray since the weave is straight and, as far as I understand, the PS one, being denim, should have a twill weave.

Yes, a denim would normally be a twill, and the PS one is. There are similar denims out there, but the PS one is my favourite and fades more than most – which is what stopped it being commercial originally.

Great post with loads of practical value, Simon. I virtually leaped with joy when you included pink in the formal shirt collection. I’ve a soft spot for that color, and believe that it could also work in the informal collection as an button-down oxford.

The idea of a capsule collection of shirts seems silly to me. Of all the items in a man’s wardrobe, shirts are supposed to be the most rapidly worn out and replaced, and they have to go to the cleaner. A working man should have a dozen at the very least.

Simon, to this point I’ve seen a shirt maker supply extra replacement collars and cuffs along with a bespoke shirt, to be swapped in when the originals stain or are just worn out. Seems brilliant to me, but what are your thoughts? My collars go long before anything else.

They don’t have to go to the cleaner Will, I wash and iron my own. Gentle cycle machine wash and tumble dry on low then iron. They last longer that way too, been doing this for at least 5 years now and the bulk of my T&A and Emma Willis shirts are in great shape, I do my bespokes this way as well! Dry clean everything as little as possible, it is hell on fabric.

As far as washing and ironing are concerned, I am completely with David. I would only like to add that in addition to avoiding the tumble dryer (don’t even think of buying one, especially if you are living on your own) you might consider spinning at 100 rpms helpful in order to limit wear and creasing.

Couldn’t disagree more – pink works so well with other colours and suits so many skin tones. Apart from the lovely picture above of pink with grey flannels, there are some great pink shirts worn by Prince Charles and Sean Connery – to take two out of countless examples – which aren’t remotely reminiscent of estate agency. However, life would be terribly dull if we all had the same views.

Hi Simon Another great article. I am with you across both the formal and informal collections, with the exception of denim. As someone approaching middle age – mid 40s – I have become quite nervous about wearing a denim shirt and looking as though I am trying to recapture my youth. However, I also see the enjoyment you find in a denim shirt and so wonder if I am looking at the wrong styles or cloths. If I may ask, how did you find a denim you loved enough to add it to the PS collection? Did you go for a lighter weight or is it about the cut? Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Richard. I can understand your concern. Can I ask, are you looking at ready-to-wear shirts? Most are much more obviously denim, with heavier washes, and might be too casual. Fabrics offered for bespoke shirts often have the opposite problem, of being too formal, barely fading at all. Ours was the fabric I found that cut a nice middle way, and to many people might not even look like denim

Hi Simon, Thanks for the reply. My budget for bespoke is limited and so I tend to focus on suits and odd jackets; I have recently commissioned a cashmere odd jacket from W&S, getting ready for autumn. For shirts, I have been fortunate enough to find that Budd’s tailored range fits me very well, and so I have never felt the need to divert some of my budget towards bespoke. As you say, the RTW denim shirts I have looked at do seem much to casual for me. Hopefully you will have some of the PS denim shirts available at the next pop up shop and I might be converted.

Simon, you’ve commented before on English men’s propensity towards more striking shirts because of historic restrictions on ties to club colours. What do you think drew you towards your own rather restrained palette of shirt colours? Did you ever go in for multi-coloured stripes when you had your shirts made at T&A?

I’m not a fan of pink, personally. I’ve always found a cream (or some version of it) shirt to be very useful. A shirt in a nice neutral shade is very flexible and goes with lots of different things. Having said that, I really struggle to find decent cream shirts that don’t simply look like a pale yellow, which I dislike.

I’ve been shunning cream shirts since someone (my mother…) remarked a few years ago that the one I was wearing looked like old shirt that used to be white. I thought she had a point, and still think she does. I’d be curious to know what your take is on this one, Simon.

And by the way, you promised me in a comment a couple of years ago that you’d do a piece on how you care for, iron, and fold your shirts. Hope you’ll get around to it sometime soon!

Hey David – apologies, I will! White shirts are pretty much always best for business, as they look cleaner and sharper, and we are now so used to wearing them and not cream that it’s not surprising your mother thought it was a dirty white. Personally, I like cream just as a very casual option when white would look too formal – for example, in a brushed-cotton shirt worn under a shetland sweater.

Hi Simon, What are you’re thoughts on a sky blue pinpoint weave? Would you say it more versatile than poplin (too formal) and oxford (too casual)? I would like to find something that pairs well with mid grey flannel trousers as well as jeans. Many thanks!

Good article Simon, thank you. For those starting out on building a wardrobe articles such as these are invaluable as they focus costs and build knowledge – so much money can be wasted on unwise choices in this period. I agree on the trousers suggestion. I also suggested one (in your last article) on suits; sports jackets, shoes and outerwear/coats could also follow? All would be welcome.

Very useful article. Of course, any working professional will own and use well more than five shirts, this provides a useful baseline. And the explanations for the utility of each shirt type provide useful guidance in adjusting that baseline to suit your own particular needs. For instance, if I were arguing in court all the time, I would own a lot of white shirts, because they’re the most formal kind. But if I were a university student, I probably would have no white shirts at all but would favor shirts that can easily go with both trousers, chinos and jeans. (E.g., a blue and white bengal will look good with jeans but can also be smartened up with a navy knit tie.

I found that my own preferences have shifted over the years. I’m an American, but spent 7 years in England during my 20s, including 5 years at Oxford University. At the time, English men tended to favor much bolder patterns and brighter colors, and I was influenced quite a bit by that trend.

At the time, I didn’t have money to spend on tailored clothing, so my way of making a statement was by using colorful shirts, bold ties, cuff links, etc. But as I’ve acquired better quality suits and sports jackets, I’ve toned down the shirts and ties a lot, since I’d rather draw attention to the tailored garments than on the shirts and ties. As far as shirts go, my focus is primarily on fit. If I want to add interest, I do so with texture rather than color or pattern.

Dear Simon, thanks a lot for all those articles. I’m really happy to see this one popping now as I was planning to get a new set of shirts done in the near future, for business with a tie mostly. I had a question regarding cuffs in that setting since you advise to get mostly simple cuffs and my initial plan was to get mostly double as I prefer how they look and feel, is there a reason not to go with those doubles and why? Thanks

You can’t really, I’m afraid… It’s the reason I’ve been developing my own on the shop part of the site. There is a denim and an oxford there. The oxford is currently sold out, but it will be available as RTW shirts from Wednesday

Hey Simon I have quite a bit of experience with my shirt sleeve lengths where I buy rtw and wash them before bringing them to my tailor. The sleeves are perfect and end exactly at my wristbone. However, I realise subsequent washing causes further shrinking. Also, wearing a jacket over the shirt sometimes causes the armhole of the shirt to hike up and the sleeve s go up with it. This causes the shirt sleeves to be even shorter than the jacket sleeve. I also have this experience with Mtm where the shirt sleeve length is perfect when the shirt is delivered but washing causes the shirt sleeves to be shorter than the jacket sleeve. Wondering if you experience such issues and how one should mitigate them. This can be quite frustrating especially when I see some of my favourite shirts have shrunk and they show no cuff when wearing jackets. Is it also okay to not show cuffs?

It’s fine to not show them, but most people today would prefer to show a little style-wise.

The issue is to do with cloth shrinking after it has been washed. Most good shirtings will have been pre-washed so won’t shrink more; cheaper ones may not have been. And often shirtmakers will wash some fabrics to check for shrinkage as well

Do you view pink shirts as more suitable for spring and summer (e.g., I won’t wear pastels like lavender, even in a subtle stripe, except in spring or summer)? It occurs to me that it might depend on the shade of pink—the colder and paler the shade and hue the better suited it is for the colder months, and the stronger and more pastel the shade and hue, the better it is for warmer months).

Nice point. Personally I don’t find pink that dependent on the season, where I would with other colours like lavenedar or pale green perhaps. But that’s probably because of that point – that it is pale. A stronger colour needs stronger and warmer light.